At 00:46 6/21/02, Jim Brokaw wrote:
on 6/20/02 4:44 PM, frieder.faig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx at
frieder.faig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> I´d also say the main point is design goal. In the 80´s there were lenses
> available from other manufaturers (especially from Pentax) which
> were pretty close in design and dimentions to the Zuiko lenses.
>
> But lens design goals changed when AF appered.
I think the other thing that changed along with or at the same time as
autofocus appeared was the increased use of 'engineering plastics' in lenses
instead of machined aluminum or brass. Even though plastic can be a precise
and strong material, its strength characteristics are -different- than
metal, and require a different design i.e. thicker sections, radiused
corners, ribbed sections instead of solid areas. This may have made the
plastic designs physically larger than the older all-metal designs, even
though the glass pieces are the same dimension inside. Most of the more
compact Zuikos incorporate all-metal construction.
--
Jim Brokaw
OM-1's, -2's, -4's, (no -3's yet) and no OM-oney...
Don't forget about having to cram focusing motors somewhere into the lens
barrels also! Now they're adding electronics along with the motors. Even
so, the Nik*n AIS lenses are generally bigger and heavier. In this regard,
I believe Olympus, under the design guidance from Maitani, stressed
compactness as a higher priority during design than others did, especially
Nik*n.
-- John
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